Hydrovehicle



2 Sheets-Shem Jseph A. Gen drea u E lie Messiggg ATTORNEY J. A. GENDREAU ET AL HYDROVEHICLE Filed June 15, 1931 Sept. 27, 1932.

P ,1 J. A. GENDREAU ET AL ,180

HYDROVEH-ICLE,

Filed June 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N efosepb/A Ge/ulrea a Elie Mea'mier BY w;

mvnrron! ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES .rosnrn A. GENDBEAU Ann ELIE mnssrnn, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT HYDROVEHIC E Application filed June 15, 1931. Serial No. 544,664.

This invention relates to hydro-vehicles and it is one of the objects of the invention to provide a hydro-vehicle adapted for sport and also for life saving.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hydro-vehicle adapted to be driven by the feet of an operator working on pedals.

A further object is the provision of a device of the character mentioned capable of diving and arising after diving.

Av still further object is the provision of a hydro-vehicle comprising special means for turning the vehicle to the right or left.

A still further object is to provide a hydrovehicle adapted to be used by an operator lying in the prone position.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read "in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therefrom as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of the hydro-vehicle invented by us.

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 shows a shoe and a device attached thereto adapted to engage a pedal on the vehicle; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 5 attached to a shoe.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description thereof, the numeral 5 indicates a chassis on the middle section of which the operator lies prone, his feet work ing a pair of pedals 6. The pedals 6 are pivotally mounted at 6a on a bent shaft 8 which is rotatably' held to the chassis by brackets 9. The brackets 9 are fastened to the branches 5a of the chassis and between these branches a gear 10' is fixedly mounted on the shaft 8. The gear 10 meshes with a pinion 12 fixedly mounted on a shaft'13 held to the chassis by brackets 14. r A beveled gear 16 is also fixedly mounted on the shaft 13 between the branches 5a of the chassis and this gear 16 meshes with a beveled pinion 17 which is mounted on the inner end of a shaft 18 rotatably held to the chassis by means of a bracket 7 19. The shaft 18 has fixedly mounted at the rear end thereof a propeller 20. It is evident from the foregoing mechanism described that by working the pedals 6, the propeller 20 will be rotated to propel the vehicle.

According to our invention steering means are provided at the front part ofthe vehicle, said steering means comprising means for turning the vehicle to the rightand left and means for causing the vehicle to dive and to rise after diving.

The steering means now to be described comprise handle bars 22 and 23 constituting the straight end members of a single rod in the form of an open loop, the forward end of the loop being arcuate as indicated by the numeral 25 and clearly shown in Fig. 2 and. the ends ofthe handle bars are supported on the chassis by means of braces 26. The arcuate portion 25 is supportedon a vertical rod 27, the'lower end of which issecured to the chassis as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In order to steer the vehicle to the right and left a rudder 28 is provided, this rudder being adapted to swing to the right and left, being secured to a rotatable sleeve 29 encircling the vertical rod 27. The rudder 28 is actuated by turning a handle 30 which is turnably mounted on the handle bar 23 and .has secured to one end thereof a rod 32 connected to a rod 33 by means of a swivel joint 34, one end of which carries a pin 35 which below the former.

The arms are fixedly mounted on a shaft 42 journaled in members 43 secured to the handle bars. A beveled gear 45 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 42 and meshes with a beveled gear 46 mounted on the end of a sleeve 47 which encircles the handle bar 22. The sleeve 47 is secured to a handle 48 which is turnably mounted on the handle bar 22. It is evident that by turning the handle 48 the member 38 which controls the diving and rising of the vehicle will be turned in the direction desired.

A float 50 is provided above the rear por-' tion of the vehicle, being held in position by a pair of straps 51 encircling it,'the straps 51 each being integral with a pair of parallel vertical members 52 secured to the chassis 5 at their lower ends. Above the forward part of the vehicle and extending in front thereof a float 54 is provided, being secured in place by means of straps 55 encircling the float and secured one to the handle bars and one to the arcuate portion 25. It will be noted that the floats 50 and 54'are pointed at their forward ends as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and that the main portions thereof are cylindrical in cross section. a

The propeller 20 is provided with a circular guard 20a which rotates with the propeller, the mentioned guard being provided so that a person coming close to the propeller will not be injured.

Fig. 5 shows a shoe 60, a pair of which may be worn by the rider of the vehicle. To the bottoms of these shoes are secured structure 61, as shown in Fig. 6, one for each shoe, The structure or device 61 comprises sections 62 and 63 integral with eachother, offset from each other, the latter being positioned The section 62 is provided with apertures 64 so that the device may be attached to the shoe. The mentioned sections are provided with confronting arcuate grooves 65 and 66, respectively, and, adjacent these grooves, the samesections are provided with inclined confronting faces 67 and 68, respectively. The devices 61 are adapted, as will readily be understood, to engage the pedals 6, whereby the shoes and therefore the feet of the wearer are securely but releasably held to the mentioned pedals.

What is claimed as new is:

lp'A water vehicle adapted to be actuated by an operator in prone position and comprising a. chassis, steering means at the front portion and driving means at the rear portion of said chassis, said steering means comprising a rudder, a handle bar, a handle turnable on said handle bar and means connecting said handle bar to said rudder for turning said rudder, the last-mentioned means comprising a rod provided with a swivel joint intermediate its ends with one of the ends movable in a slot in the rudder.

2. A water vehicle adapted to be actuated by an operator in prone position and comprising a chassis, steering means at the front portion and driving means at the rear portion of said chassis, said steering means comprising handle bars, handles turnable on said bars, a rudder adapted to steer the vehicle to the right and left, operative means connecting said rudder to oneof said handles, a member pivoted for up and down movement to cause the vehicle to dive and to rise after diving,and operative means connecting said pivoted member to the other handle.

3. 'A water vehicle comprising a chassis, a rudder mounted thereon, operator actuated means for propelling the chassis, a handlebar, a grip turnable on the handle-bar and operatively connected with the rudder for swinging the latter angularly upon turning movement imparted to the grip, a memberswingably mounted on the chassis for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the rudder, a second grip on the handle-bar and likewise turnable thereon, and operative connection between said member and said second grip, the two grips being disposed at opposite ends of said handle-bar for respective actuation by the right and left hands of the operator.

In testimony whereof they hereby afiix their signatures.

JOSEPH A. GENDREAU. ELIE MESSIER. 

